(NAPSA)—Whetherit’s across town or across the country, Ameri- cans are on the move. It’s estimated that in the next few months alone, some 20 million Americans will pack-up and head for a new home. With some families paying as much as $1 per pound to cover moving costs and the average move weighing in at a hefty 7,400 pounds per family, most experts agree on twopoints. The first is to not carry any- thing along on the move that doesn’t have to go. The second is to make sure you have enough petty cash on hand to cover some of the more common small expenses that can add up during a move. These cash expenses can include: Packing supplies such as tape and bubble wrap * Gas for your moving van *Cards to announce your new address along with stamps needed to mail these cards Paper towels, milk and bread for the first night in your new home With the average household having anywhere from $30 to $50 dollars in loose coins laying around, there is something most families can do to both lighten their load and raise some petty cash—all in one step. They can take their loose change to a machine that will count it for them. First developed in 1992 by a company called Coinstar, selfservice coin counting machines are now commonly found in It’s estimated the average household has anywhere from $30 to $50 dollars in loose coins laying around. many grocery stores. Customers pour their unsorted coins into the machine while a computer screen provides a realtime tally of the value of the coins deposited. Counting machines, such as those from Coinstar, can count up to 600 coins per minute. Once the process is complete the user receives a printed voucher that can be redeemed at the participating store for either cash or groceries. In addition to converting loose change into “walking around money,” these machines also save consumers time. For example, it would take the average person four hours to count androll $48 in pennies versus eight minutes with a Coinstar. To learn more about Coinstar, call 1-800-928-CASH or visit www.coinstar.com.
